Dance So Sweet lowers colours of Ronron

Orville Clarke, Sunday Gleaner Writer

The vastly improved American filly DANCE SO SWEET scored a popular victory over her former stable-companion and howling favourite RONRON in the $1.1 million graded stakes feature for the Eileen Cliggott Trophy over 1300 metres at Caymanas Park yesterday.

Ridden by in-form Panamanian jockey Dick Cardenas for trainer Gary Subratie and owner Michael Bernard (Michros), DANCE SO SWEET (7-5) made all impressively to win by 61/2 lengths, leaving in her wake the outstanding American four-year-old filly RONRON with leading jockey Shane Ellis, who was booed vociferously by a large section of the crowd after the race.

The crowd's reaction to the win was overwhelming. To many, this was seen as a "grudge" match-up, emanating from issues between Subratie and RONRON's owner Kenval Wallace, resulting in RONRON being transferred to the stables of champion and leading trainer Wayne DaCosta recently.

surprising sale

Significantly, Wallace was the owner of both RONRON and DANCE SO SWEET up to June 24 when he surprisingly sold the latter to Bernard for $2.7 million.

The events leading up to and after the sale only served to widen the rift between Wallace and Subratie, before the transfer of RONRON three weeks ago to Subratie's arch-rival, DaCosta.

So Subratie had a point to prove in lowering the colours of his one-time stable star, and in the end he described it this way:

"This is undoubtedly the sweetest victory of my entire training career," said the second-generation trainer, who has lost five of his top horses since saddling NIPHAL and BIG MAN BOYU to win the 1000 and 2000 Guineas, respectively, on April 2. They are RONRON along with BIG MAN BOYU (subsequently died), TREASURE GIRL and BURST OF ENERGY, all three shipped off to race in Trinidad, while his classy three-year-old colt UNCLE KEN has broken down.

"For all the misfortune that has affected me in recent months, I was forced to go back to the drawing board," said Subratie, who was carried shoulder high on to the track by cheering supporters.

"While I am elated with the victory, I have to confess that it was an emotional experience watching both horses being saddled in the paddock ... It brought tears to my eyes," he added.

"RONRON is a great horse ... I am disappointed with the race she ran today, but she's special and will soon rebound."

DANCE SO SWEET, who turned for home some 21/2 lengths clear of topweight RONRON (60.5kg) before finding another gear early in the straight, completed a triple for Cardenas on the 10-race programme.

He also won aboard 6-1 chance INVICTUS for his gu'vnor, Anthony Nunes, in the second race and 1-5 favourite KIPLING WEEKEND in the third for two-year-olds to move to 48 wins, only one behind Ellis, who won aboard the DaCosta-trained even-money favourite SIR VON.